I've been to Waterfront several times and I've always enjoyed what I've ordered there and tonight I had a craving for sushi, so I placed an order to go. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered an eel roll and a spicy salmon roll. It was ready in less than 15 minutes and my sushi craving was satisfied! Both rolls tasted fresh and there was plenty of eel and salmon so it wasn't just all rice. It also came with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger. I've had take out at other places and they've forgotten these items. Oh and I've also tried their clam chowder and it was very good, so I'd definitely recommend that dish as well!
(4)
Jennifer H.
Waterfront is one of my favorite places to go for either lunch or dinner. I love getting the Pokie Salad and a dirty martini (or two/three). The lobster bisque is delicious too. Everything is as fresh as you can possibly get in the middle of Iowa. The wait staff is always experienced, helpful and able to answer any question you have. They truly aim to please. It can be a very busy place, but if you do have to wait, it's always worth it!
There was a bit of a wait so we waited at the bar and ordered oysters & Bloody Mary's. They make their own BM mix! Alaskan king crab legs we got were fat & fantastic... Surprisingly sufficient amount for splitting. Clam chowder soup lived up to its fame IMO (voted best in DSM?) Their Des Moines roll was mediocre. Ordered this and each piece was a different thickness. It wasn't rolled very tight, either. Won't order rolls again, but would try sashimi or nigiri pieces. Look forward to coming back!
(4)
Thao P.
This is a great seafood restaurant in Iowa and one of my favorite overall in the Des Moines area. There are two locations- one in Clive and one in Ankeny. Service- Wonderful! In all the times I've been here, the waitstaff are extremely friendly and attentive. They know the menu really well and go above and beyond Food- Amazing! They have a good variety of food that includes fresh seafood, fried seafood, sushi, soup, etc. A lot of people perceive this place as expensive because of the seafood options but there also totally affordable options under $10 like the famous Clam Chowder soup, gumbo, oysters, mussels, po'boys and lot of other items. My favorites are the Clam Chowder, Fried Rock Shrimp, Oysters, Mussells, Fish and Chips, and Pokie Salad! It's hard to find Poke salad in Des Moines, so that's great it's here. A lot of times, places that don't solely serve sushi struggle with serving good quality sushi but this place has great sushi and it's a large menu too! Also recommend getting a side of their warm sourdough bread here too! Environment- The decor and environment is very warm and the aura smells of delicious seafood. Very clean and spacious as well.
(5)
Jesse M.
Nope. No more. This used to be a regular of ours, but the last time I went the service was terrible and between my wife and I, no drinks, we paid almost $90 for our meal. Overpriced and lack-luster. Needs a lot of work.
(2)
Mike P.
First experience at Waterfront Seafood Market. No reservations accepted. Arrived at 7:30 PM on a Friday evening as were promptly seated. ORDERED: Half dozen oysters on the half shell $12.95, Cup of Gumbo $4.95, Fiesta Roll sushi $14.95, Spicy Tuna Roll $8.95, Rock Shrimp Po'Boy $12.95 TASTED: It was my fault for forgetting about oysters in warm months. They were bloated and huge - my mistake. Nice presentation with silver tray, horseradish, cocktail sauce and crackers. The GUMBO had a nice flavor but lacked much seafood. I remember Buzzard Billy's version being far superior to this one. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Po'Boy based off a photo I saw here on Yelp. This sandwich was amazing! Lightly breaded sweet rock shrimp on a French roll, lettuce, tomato, cocktail and tartar sauce. My favorite sandwich of all time is the Lobster Roll at St. Paul Fish Company at the Milwaukee Public Market, Waterfront's Po'Boy is now my number two. My dining partner ordered the sushi and said it was acceptable but not anywhere close to Tao/Chi. SERVICE: Our waitress and service left much to be desired. Rarely checked on us, my oysters came out with my entree when we agreed they were an appetizer when I ordered them. An overall surly attitude like a burnt out Village Inn waitress. We all have bad days.
(3)
Clair M.
I love waterfront! It's a great lunch date place with creative specials for both afternoon and evening dinning. I can't pass up the seafood gumbo it's the best! They are known for there seafood chowder but I'm allergic to dairy but it looks fabulous! Great sushi, fish and chips, drinks (especially the Bloody Mary) service and much more! Clean and tidy restrooms and seating. I am only giving this place 4 stars because it seems like they should have a remodel but they could be keeping it this way due to part of its charm. They also have a seafood market attached to the restaurant. I have never gotten any of the market food to prepare at home but a few of my friends have and enjoyed it!
(4)
Jessica K.
I've only been here once and it was a really good experience. It was not busy when we went (it was around 2-2:30, after the lunch rush) on a Saturday. They had 1/2 off oysters special going on that day, which is pretty awesome considering it's an arm and a leg anywhere else in the Midwest! Our waiter was very nice and efficient. We never felt like we were waiting for him to come back. Their sushi is awesome! Only complaint I have is that the oyster shells were still pretty dirty. I have a really strong stomach but I was a bit worried about the dirtiness of the shell (I still ate the oysters and am still alive ). Hopefully they will do a better job cleaning the shells before serving them! Other than that, the food was fantastic!
(4)
Travis B.
The service here was great. Very nice, very prompt. The atmosphere of the restaurant reminds me of a Boston seaside fishmarket....kinda cozy, kinda dirty. I wanted a bowl of the clam chowder but like so many things in Iowa, it comes with bacon. Red flag! Good clam chowder should stand on it's own. I figured they can't make it right if they have to flavor it up with bacon. I had the grilled trout. It was nicely filleted, with not a single bone. The texture was perfect and it was cooked tenderly. It came with a big scoop of tartar sauce...yech. The fish tastes delicious without blobs of tartar. The meal came with a side salad....a poor, sad iceberg/cherry tomato, 1 cucumber slice, a few slivers of carrot shreds. My buddy had the fried perch. As he was eating, he noted that there was more batter than actual fish. I hear the locals love it. Good for them.
(3)
Jennifer W.
I love this place! I've been here for lunch a handful of times. Today I ordered the Lobster Bisque and Shrimp Salad. SO good! The blue cheese is made with Maytag Blue Cheese. YUM. I love the sour dough bread too. They used to give a basket of bread with a meal but progressively have scaled the bread back. My salad came with bread and I asked our server how much bread I could have, she said two pieces. :) Done and done. Definitely make your way to this restaurant. I think this location and Ankeny are equally delicious.
(5)
Amanda I.
Sushi sushi sushi. Great selection and variety of sushi. Try the sushi poppers very unconventional sushi option. It's deep fried with no rice but definitely worth trying. All have a unique flare on sushi.
(4)
John H.
Great Sushi and great service. Open until 10 pm on weekdays was nice too. Bartender was super cool and helpful.
(5)
H L.
Always happy with the food. Some of the freshest seafood in Des Moines. I've been here more than a dozen times & most of the time the service is slow. BUT if you have time to burn, the food is good!
(4)
Jason H.
The service 10/10. The Godzilla roll 10/10. The clam chowder 67/10. The Walleye dinner 24/10. Need I say more? Well yah, I guess I will since I like to give a little more I depth review. To start I want to say that the service was some of the best service I have ever had at any Restaurant. The food was on time and the waitress (Jill I think) was personable and always at our needs. When the Godzilla roll came out it was game on! I grew up a huge Godzilla fan so this roll had a lot to live up to. Let's just say that this roll was the true "king of the monsters" since it sufficed my Monster of an appetite. Now let me start by saying I LOVE soup of all kinds and have tried many throughout my life. This Clam Chowder was probably in the top 3 if not the best soup I have ever put down my gullet. The thickness was perfect and the mixture of the potatoes and clams was heavenly. The creamy broth mixture of this chowder was unbelievably luscious and perfect. After I ate this chowder It inspired me and I wanted to write a poem or a song. this soup is an inspiration and that is the reason I gave it 67 out of 10. Now on to my main dish the walleye. Still on a euphoric high from the chowder, the walleye came out. I have never had walleye so this was a make or break for me. This dish made me into a #believer of the walleye fish. The crust was pan fried to perfection and the walleye as a whole had this "back home grandma" buttery taste that just melts in your mouth. There is a reason I gave this dish 14 points extra credit at a 24 out of 10. :) Overall my dining experience at Waterfront was one of the best I have ever had. The food was epic in a way it inspires you to write books or run 5ks and The service was top notch. Until next time yelpers, Due to how inspired I am it's time to write that book, song, poem, and run that 5k.
(5)
Plenty F.
4 stars. Good service, especially for a place in a strip mall. I had the king crab which was absolutely delicious and melt-in-your-mouth sweet. Not too salty, but not bland. Sourdough bread was a winner. Vegetables needed some seasoning. My dining companions enjoyed their meals, as well. Except, one of the fishes were FULL of bones...little bitty ones that made eating less enjoyable. I wish the server had pointed this out, but she didn't. All in all - it's a Solid joint.
(4)
Abdelaziz E.
Great place. Very delicious food. Big portions. Very reasonable price. Service is good. Large variety of fish and dishes. I really enjoyed it
(5)
Brianna D.
Don't let the outside of this place fool you! BEST calamari and coconut shrimp I've ever had and the sushi isn't far behind. Service is wonderful and the servers are very knowledgable of the menu and attentive to the guests.
(5)
Gino D.
At here last night while on some business travel. Always enjoy eating a locally owned place. It was vey good! Had the halibut and it was very good. I also had some barbecue shrimp and it was fantastic My only comment would be that the waitress should have had some suggestions. It did not seem that she was very well versed on the men.
(4)
Karrissa A.
Mediocre at best. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this place, but this was the most unfantastic restaurant I have ever been too. I had heard great things about this restaurant and was told to give it a shot for my birthday dinner. I love fish and used to work at a sushi restaurant in college so I was excited to celebrate with my family (5 of us) over sushi. I should have seen the red flags when I walked in and didn't immediately see a sushi bar or sushi chefs. I sat down with my family and began ordering. I started out with a cup of the lobster bisque, which was the only thing I had that was better than just mediocre tasting. My boyfriend and I ordered 4 sushi rolls: the Chuck Norris Roll, the Fiesta Roll, the Stop, Drop and Roll roll, and the John Special Roll. The sushi was the most mediocre, thrown together rolls I have ever eaten. Not only were they unevenly cut, but they fell apart immediately upon attempting to pick them up. They didn't taste bad, but they didn't taste particularly good either. After the sushi they brought me out a birthday desert, which was a piece of stale chocolate cake with little dollops of spray whipped cream...not very appealing for a birthday dessert to say the least. We also ordered the chocolate bread pudding which was supposedly the special desert of the evening and it was by far the worst bread pudding I have tasted. To top it off our server never came by to refill our drinks and did not clear the plates after we were finished eating. Final verdict: Sushi- mediocre, Dessert- mediocre, service- mediocre. I do not think I will be back to this place again and I really recommend going elsewhere if you're in the mood for sushi.
(2)
Jennifer P.
First time eating sushi. Loved it! Great margarita too! Tuesday night is sushi specials.
(5)
Jean M.
I love the sushi here at the sushi bar and the chefs are very friendly. It's my go to hands down.
(4)
Charlie C.
Had drinks and apps. Very good cocktails and bar atmosphere. Peel and eat shrimp were perfect. Server asked how the clam chowder was and I said it was cold. His response was "Wow". And we were still charged for it. Need to work on that.
(4)
Mark S.
This is for the sushi staff in your preparation of an awesome lunch, squid salad was super savory with just a slight spicy bite!! The sushi is always fresh and this "scorpion king" specialty roll was awesome though a good challenge to get a piece picked up and consumed in one bite. This place is the real deal to sit and have all kinds of fresh fish, shrimp, octopus, and my absolute favorite being the eel, smokey and sweet. Great Job.
(5)
Kenneth B.
My wife and I went there for lunch today. The atmosphere could best be described as "road house". The wait staff is road house style. The salad was mature. The fish was excellent. Veggies were undesirable. Overall this restaurant is about 3 steps below Red Lobster. We will not go back unless we just needed a quick meal with no expectations.
(2)
Alyssa C.
BEST SEAFOOD IN TOWN! If you want a restaurant with good food and even better service come to waterfront (WF). We started the night with the Godzilla Roll which was insanely delicious. It is a 12 piece roll cut thinly but packs a great punch of flavor. Then came out our soup. We tried the gumbo and clam chowder. Gumbo was filled with seafood and seasoned extremely well. It is spicy like gumbo should be! But I cannot express how amazing the clam chowder is. It's not too fishy which never happens!! I could come back solely for the clam chowder!!! They also serve bread which is warm and fresh! Then we had our meals. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Po-Boy which was good. The best way to eat this po-boy is to squeeze the bun and eat it sideways instead of head on. The reason being is that there is cocktail cause on one side and tartar sauce on the other side of the bun... Eat it together and you have an EPIC Po-Boy! We also tried the pan seared Walleye which was so tender, flaky, and buttery. I recommend getting a side of pilaf rice with the walleye and eating it together. It was absolutely delicious. As such come here if you like seafood and great service. I had a wonderful time here and I assure you this place will not disappoint!
(5)
Jim S.
I used to go there at least 6 times a year. I also used to get the bisque and chowder for holidays. The last time both soups hardly had any seafood in them. When I went back and spoke to the manager he would not do anything to make up for it. No offer to give more soup or a credit. No attitude or indication of wanting to help. Haven't been back since.
(1)
Martin B.
Stopped for lunch today. Julie, the best and my favourite wait staff was working today. Superb service. Always pleasant. Extremely efficient. Had oysters for my app. BBQ shrimp for my main. Key Lime for dessert. Everything was fresh. Executed w/o flaw. I'm n heaven. Best seafood in Des Moines. Say hi to Julie when you see her.
(5)
Tiffany K.
Awesome fish restaurant in Des Moines. I am not a big fish person but like some sushi and love crab cakes and this place hit the spot! The crab cakes were amazing! The sushi was delicious and made fresh. The house dressing is also very delicious. Would definitely go back, but expect a wait on typical busy days (or get there early). The wait staff was also super friendly. Sushi took some time (due to it being busy) and the waitress seemed sincerely worried about us being upset with the wait. Would definitely recommend for the seafood in the area.
(5)
Christine H.
Deeeelicious! I sat at the bar for their vaunted clam chowder which did not disappoint, along with oysters on the half shell and drinks. One side of this business is sushi bar with a fish market feel, and the other side was a more upscale dining room and separate bar area that is chill and not too loud. My only regret was not going back again before I left Des Moines. All the seafood was fresh, the service was attentive and quick and I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Michael G.
Consistently the best sushi in the Des Moines area. The quality is excellent and the prices are decent. I highly recommend the Chuck Norris roll!
(5)
Marc L.
Let me start by saying, yes it is in a strip mall ... We almost turned around to find something else, but other Yelp reviews convinced me to stay. I AM SO GLAD WE DID. The food here is wonderful! Sushi was fantastic (I had the Bruce Lee). There was not a bad meal between the four of us.
(5)
Mark G.
Great Seafood restaurant. They have a great selection of fresh fish as well as sushi. Love this place since it is one of the only true seafood places in Iowa. They have options as to how they will prepare your food. Not a red lobster type of place, expect more when you come here. Has what you are looking for as a seafood fan. Tried many dishes here, done right every time. They do have special and lunch too, blackend is one of my fav styles from them. Need more places like the Waterfront.
(4)
Jennifer V.
You won't find fresher seafood in the Midwest...we bought a case of fresh oysters on December 23rd. They were great quality, large and very, very fresh. We kept them on ice and shucked about 1/2 of them on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day. Hubby is from the San Francisco Bay Area and my father spends a lot of time on the gulf coast. They both raved about the quality and were surprised that such freshness could be found in Des Moines. The service we received in the market was excellent. The staff was helpful and knowledgable even when they were busy. We will defiantly be regulars and are thrilled to have found a source of quality seafood in the area.
(5)
Luke T.
On business trip. Stopped by for lunch around 11am just after the place was opened. Already few people. Scanned the room, I was the youngest customer. First of all, i didn't see water (name threw me off). Wasn't greeted right away, hostess apparently was more concerened about what to write on the board although she saw me. Place was neat, clean, with cool decor. Ordered lunch special bass and yellowtail sushi roll. Bass was meh, not enough taste. Sushi was weirdly warm... Not worth the price.
(2)
Andrew W.
Pretty tasty. Not many options for sushi/sashimi and it took at least 30 minutes which is a long wait in my experience. Might try again.
(3)
Dave M.
It was a chilly afternoon in Iowa yesterday, as I walked around waiting for my car to be fixed at Tires Plus. I strolled into Waterfront Seafood not expecting much from an old strip-mall, seafood restaurant that is called Waterfront, even though its nowhere close to water and situated next to a TJ Maxx. Its almost genius how their location lowers expectations, but then the quality of the food lifts them into the clouds! Now I admit that I only had a bowl of their award-winning clam chowder, so read other reviews for an evaluation of their menu, but I can tell you this much - the chowder was fantastic! A perfect serving size containing a well-balanced serving of claims and potatoes. I loved it! I will be coming back for sure to try more from their menu, as their prices seem reasonable and the atmosphere was pleasant inside. The beers on tap were also a nice selection including seasonal crafts and California steam beers. Waterfront Seafood Market was a pleasant surprise.
(4)
Jerry N.
Great service, and the food was very good. I had the Walleye Basket. The fish was prepared just right. We have never had a bad meal there, and we like that several of the staff have been there for years.
(5)
Christine T.
Awesome service! Our server was awesome friendly and continued to check on us. Good was great!
(5)
He And She I.
Five stars for providing healthy choices, presented in an appetizing way. I do miss the old small market, but they did have to grow, because they are so good. You can get your usual fried fish if you want, but you can also put together an unusual grouping of healthier choices, such as pokey with wasabi, or cucumber salad.
(5)
Derek B.
Been there twice. The first time, I would have given it a 5. Last time, I would have done 3 stars. So, I'll meet in the middle. First time- A little over a year ago my family went there. We were all impressed. Had the rock shrimp and calamari apps. along with King Crab Legs. Both were amazing. We all ordered something different and everyone was very impressed with their dishes from my Mom's Talapia (If I remember correctly, this was amazing) to my wife's chicken dish. This last weekend- Went there quite hungover for lunch (so this might have been a problem.) Ended up just ordering apps. at the bar. Got the same two as before and both were good, but, not as great as I remembered. Then I also saw a guy that got the glazes mushrooms and they looked great so I had them make me a half order. At first they were going down great, but, then it seemed as if they got spicier and spicier until I was about to drown in my own sweat (not sure if this was the alcohol, spice, or likely a bit of both.) So, I had to get out of there. Also, the bar servers were very good and gave me a lot of attn even though I wasn't drinking, so that was nice.
(4)
Rachel K.
I had the Maryland crab cakes with a cup of clam chowder and sweet fries for the sides. It came with two slices of warm sour dough bread. I enjoyed all the food down to the butter that came with the bread. The crab cakes were the best I have had in the Midwest. The sweet potato fries were just the way I like them cripsy but not over cooked. I only wish they had a special dipping sauce for the fries but I just dipped it in the sauce for my crab cakes which was delicious. If you like seafood then definitely check out this place and the prices are reasonable for seafood in Midwest.
(5)
Don F.
I enjoy the waterfront. being from the east coast I miss my seafood. Service is great. Sushi is good but I love it when they have live crab. It's the beast!!!
(4)
Andrea T.
Food: 4 stars Service: 2 stars We had a group of 7 on a Friday night. We were told it would be a 20 min wait but it really turned into a 30+ min wait. When we finally got our table, our service did not get any better. We ordered drinks (3 beers, 2 diet cokes, an iced tea and a water). Our server brought out waters for everyone and then the beers which one of them was the wrong kind. Then I mentioned I had an iced tea and he completely forgot about the non-alcoholic drinks. He brought them and apologized laughing. When it came time to order, one of the people in our group wanted Mahi-Mahi, which we then learned they were out of it. Why not tell us that when you first came to our table? Our table ordered some sushi, oysters, tilapia, halibut and opah (one of the specials). The clam chowder was good as was the bread but the salads were nothing special. I had the opah and it had good flavor and was a good sized piece. It was only lukewarm whereas my husband's halibut was really hot. Any of the sushi with cream cheese in it had way too much cream cheese and they said it had a strange taste. Otherwise, they enjoyed their sushi. They give you Andes Mints at the end with your check so that is always a plus! The food is good so I would come back for that but the service, at least for this night was bad. I have heard that they do have some good servers so I just hope we get a good one next time!
(3)
Raymond H.
Overpriced and lousy service. I am not sure what the big deal is but people insist on coming here and it's just not good. Rude male server and moth full of sand when expecting clam. Chowder was think and had too much Wondra in it. Meh. I've experienced better at Long John Silvers.
(2)
Lindsay E.
This is the second time in the last 2 months we have been here and service was horrible!! Got a grilled shrimp salad and soup and slider. Both meals should take a few minutes. And it wasn't even busy like it usually is. After waiting for 25 minutes, we got our order to go.....only to get no eating utensils with it. By the time I got rung up we were there 35 minutes. This is our fourth visit ever, the last two were horrible, and I really don't think we will come back.
(2)
Erika H.
Our family's go to seafood restaurant for lunch or dinner. Ordering a cup or clam chowder is a must for my husband on every visit. Staff is friendly and efficient, food it delicious!
(5)
B B.
This is the ONLY place in Des Moines to eat sushi. Everything is fresh. They have the best spicy tuna roll I've ever had. Also, the pull and peel shrimp is sooo good. The reason I give it 4 stars is because of the atmosphere. The decor looks like a cheesy fish restaurant from the 80's! Also, they don't have a coctail menu. They should branch out and make a separate sushi restaurant with a cocktail menu. It would attract more young people!
(4)
K J.
Prices too high to match service! This was our second time at Waterfront. It was a rough start as we waited an hour to get a table. We asked our waitress for a drink list and she came back with their "suggested drinks" a menu with maybe five different cocktails and were told they have a full service bar. The drink list and menu have no mention of the beers so I asked what if any IPA's they had and the waitress had no idea what an IPA was. After explaining it she still didn't understand and said she could get me a beer list, I thought that was implied when we asked for a drink menu. I didn't want to lose her again so I just took a common beer. We were going to get a dessert if asked but our server basically asked if we wanted the check and that seemed to be the quickest turn around for her the entire night. Aside from the service the food was great! The best seafood you can get in Des Moines in my opinion. I won't be going back for a long time due to the terrible service and high price.
(3)
Tyler R.
This would probably have been 4 stars if not for the cocktails. I'm all for a little extra alcohol in a drink if it still tastes good, however both of ours were way too strong. The specialty rolls were good, but maybe not as good as Samarai Sushi.
(3)
Mark S.
Waterfront provides a decent, locally owned seafood dining experience. The interior is a bit dated (think 1980s Red Lobster), but portions are generous and prices are reasonable. The quality is generally ok. Sushi is average, though the fish is very fresh. The clam chowder is entirely too thick, resembling icing more than soup. The texture is a big turn off. Fish preparation is also ok, though the kitchen needs to be a bit more rigorous with their deboning work. Overall a solid effort for a seafood-focused restaurant in Des Moines. The Bonefish experience is a bit higher end and more enjoyable if you are willing to part with a few more dollars per person.
(3)
Paul B.
There is only one thing preventing me from giving this 5 stars....the fish smell. That being said this is a place that you MUST try if you are in the Des Moines area. There is both a regular menu and a sushi menu. If you decide to go the sushi route the Chuck Norris Roll is an absolute AH-mazing. I am not from Iowa, so needless to say when I tried this place I was skeptical, being that it was a seafood restaurant in a landlocked state. However, the food here is fresh and deeeeeelicious. Seriously...get the Chuck Norris Roll!!!
(4)
Cindy Vy N.
Went here on a Friday night, girls night out...woohoo! My sisters and I chose to go to the Waterfront because it was listed as 5th favorite restaurant in Des Moines by its residents. We were counting on the residents to not lead us astray. It was a packed house that night, the bar was full, there was a 45 minute wait to be seated, luckily there was plenty of space at the sushi bar. Famished and impatient we gladly sat at the sushi bar where we wouldn't have to wait. I'll admit that I've always been a bit wary about consuming seafood in the midwest, it's not always fresh and most of the time it's poorly done. So when we were situated at the sushi bar and I saw that they had precut their sashimi I had low expectations for the sushi. After taking 10 minutes to peruse the menu we decided to share several items from the regular menu: a bowl of seafood gumbo, the Chilean Sea bass with sweet potato fries, Sirloin and Scallops skewers with saffron rice pilaf. And a few rolls from the sushi bar: the Chuck Norris, Tuna Tempera, and Miami Heat. I loved the sushi, surprisingly, but hated the entrees. The Chilean Sea bass was not what we expected, we expected a thick cut of sea bass, only to be disappointed by a slice that as 1/2 inch thick at most. Although the sirloin on the skewers were tender and juicy it lacked any flavor and the rice pilaf was extremely salty. If you plan to visit the waterfront, skip the entrees, and stick with the sushi. The sushi and the excellent service we received that night from the sushi chef, the on clock one and the off clock one sitting next to us, and the sushi bar staff was what made this place deserving of 4 stars instead of 3. Thank you to the Des Moines residents for the recommendation.
(4)
Liz C.
This restaurant is way overrated. The food was mediocre. I've had my good share of seafood throughout the world, and nothing stands out here. I got a mouthful of sand for majority of the clams, the halibut was dry, and they didn't even have lobster? I thought this was a seafood restaurant...definitely limited... Secondly, they lacked customer service. An older gentleman was our waiter, and he was just flat out rude and had an impudent attitude throughout his service. He definitely needed to work on his customer service skills, or maybe just retire.. I will not be coming back, for sure..
(1)
Debbie B.
This is one of our favorite lunch spots. If you're on a budget, the catfish basket is a good buy. Seafood is fresh and cooked in a type of oil that isn't so bad for the arteries. Coleslaw, fries, and sweet potato fries all are great. Sushi is very good too. Great, solid place to go with expert servers. Love it! (PS: Iced tea is excellent too. That is my litmus test.)
(5)
Christine C.
I had steak and shrimp. The ribeye was delicious- cooked perfectly (medium) and the shrimp scampi was excellent. I also had salad and a baked potato. Yumm!
(5)
JB B.
Can you say best chowder in town? Nuff said. Mild, warm and inviting atmosphere. Cool blues and whites, nautically themed. Top notch service with Brittany. Pleasant, informative and efficient. Try the Rock Shrimp. I could get used to this....
(4)
Shing Yiing O.
Seafood in Des Moines... Do you believe it???? Well.. obviously it's not as fresh as you can expect.. but it's really good enough.. :) and pls.. Don't relate sushi to seafood... sushi DOES NOT equal to seafood.. they are different!!!!! I have not tried their sushi but I came here twice for their seafood.. So.. another CELEBRATION!!! aha.. it's my friend's celebration.. he just received a job offer in NYC!! :D OF COURSE, CELEBRATION IS A MUST!!! while waiting to be seated.. we went to the seafood market... everything seems pretty fresh to me... Especially the clams, tuna, and salmon... Starting with an appetizer of course!! We wanted to order oyster but they ran out of it!!! Under the waitress recommendation... we ordered from the special menu.. Mussels!!! Mussels baked with tomato.. and I guess I tasted some white wine.. MMmmm... It's so delicious!!! The waitress brought some lemon and butter for us to dip the mussels with it.. I enjoyed it with lemon as well.. I don't really like it with butter... same goes to my friend.. he loves it just with the original taste.. with a bit of tomato.. Oh yea.. and they served us sour dough bread as well... We dip the bread into the sauce/soup.. or whatever you call... from the mussels... (sorry I really don't know how to describe it.. forgive me) Ordered Alaskan Style Wild Salmon.. grilled with honey and some peppercorn perhaps??? MMmmm... Delicious... I guess they must imported from somewhere else.. because it's Des Moines!!!! We don't have fresh seafood!!!!! but.. the way they grilled the salmon is perfect.. enjoyed it with squeeze of lemon.. Honey.. Lemon.. Pepper... Sweetness, saltiness, sourness.. blended so well... TEXTURE is PERFECT and my friend ordered Scallop Marruca.. I really can't tell how they boiled it.. The scallops are so special... sweet butter and some garlic.. Scallop is not too huge and just nice to enjoy it.. Portion is not as huge as I expected.. We ordered fries, salad with ranch dressing, claim chowder soup, and seafood gumbo soup.. Seafood Gumbo soup is just ok.. Claim chowder is pretty good... My friend said it's actually better than the one we had at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.. Really?? But I prefer the one in San Francisco tho.. Enjoyed it with white wine.. totally just make my day.. Starve myself for the night.. it's kinda worth it.. :)
(4)
Gwen G.
Coconut Shrimp, Scallops, Clams and Asparagas - Our family visited Waterfront last evening. We are new to Des Moines and had wanted to try this place for a while. We had purchased seafood from their market and were happy with it. However, If you are any kind of "foodie" you will not like this restaurant. The inflated prices are deceiving. You would think you would get awesome food for $30 an entree. The asparagus was over steamed and not seasoned at all. Our server told us it was because of many folks eating restrictions, really? I ordered a baked potato that came out cold and was sent back. The clams were cooked too long. The tuna had no flavor. The scallops were the best thing our table had but yet they were swimming in oil but they were cooked properly. I myself am very vocal when I'm paying a lot for a meal and its not up to par. The server didn't seem to care nor did he get any sort of manager to come and apologize for anything that happened with the meal. The only thing we did enjoy was the sushi. I don't know why some of the other reviews say to stay away from it. I had the coconut shrimp and there was way too much coconut on them you could barely taste the shrimp. As we left I asked for a comment card from the Host at the front and she (with attitude) handed me the owners card. We will not be returning except to the market. If I want seafood in Des Moines I will be preparing it myself.
(1)
Erica H.
I love seafood, and Waterfront is the best place for seafood in Iowa. I don't know how they do it, but considering that we are very, very, very, very far from any large body of water, their business is fresh and tasty. Clam chowder? Delicious. Sushi? The Godzilla roll was yummy (and huge). Coconut shrimp? Yes, please. Even my seafood-hating husband gave them two thumbs up. I also think their prices are quite reasonable.
(5)
Donald Y.
Excellent sushi! I've been here a handful of times and skip the fresh seafood and go straight for the sushi menu, although I have heard that their seafood is second to none in the Metro. I have yet to have a roll that I don't like here. Some of my favorites include the volcano roll, the godzilla roll, and the Chuck Norris roll. My only small complaint would be that their draft beer selection is lacking somewhat otherwise this is a can't miss spot for some great sushi!
(5)
Doug M.
Went there last Friday and was told to go early or expect a wait. My source was correct, we got there a little before 5:30 and were seated right away and when we left there was quite a few people waiting. My family and I decided to go with sushi and we all found it to be terrific. The volcano, des moines and spicy tuna were some of my favorites of the evening. The price was about average but well worth it for the quality of the food. My only complaint would be the service and amount of time it took to get our food was pretty slow.
(4)
Brando B.
We had a volcano roll today and it was amazing. My wife doesnt like real exotic sushi like me but she is expanding her horizons a bit past a plain old california roll. We both loved it! We stopped in while running errands on a saturday, sat at the sushi bar and washed the fantastic food down with a couple cold draft beers. Great service, great place!
(5)
Kelly K.
My sister recently introduced me to this place and I am in love! The first time I went I had the shrimp po'boy (of course), it was very good. Fresh, delicious, shrimp, the bread could be a little bit crustier, but it was good. Sweet potato fries as an option are great, they were delicious as well. Next time I went was with my girlfriends. This place is always busy. We went at 3 pm on a Saturday two weeks before Christmas. About a five minute wait, place was packed, but they got us right in. I had the grilled shrimp salad with the house dressing, which is a creamy parmesan. I had six, large, deliciously grilled shrimp, salad is pretty basic (Iceberg, carrots, tomatoes) but the dressing is so good, I dream about this salad at night! My girlfriends raved about their meals, too. Fried shrimp, clam chowder, unagi, grilled scallops, and sushi rolls (I can't remember exactly what they got, but my friends are well-versed in sushi) were all delicious and devoured voraciously. Probably the best seafood in Des Moines. Ignore the decor, it's all about the food here. Our waitress was also very friendly, knowledgeable and pleasant even though they were slammed and it was obvious she was busy. Go as soon as you can!
(5)
Biggah K.
Not bad at all. That grilled Orange Roughy is amazing
(4)
Ron T.
I have searched and reviewed many Des Moines restaurants so I may sample what Des Moines has to offer in dining. Waterfront kept popping up as a top destination. So there we were......... The lunch menu is very limited but acceptable. We chose a special. I chose a grilled amberjack on a warm kaiser roll with mushrooms and swiss cheese and the creole gumbo. I have spent all my life almost traveling Louisiana and Mississipi on business so I have enjoyed the best when it comes to Cajun/Creole dining. My guest had the same amberjack sandwich but chose the shrimp bisque which I was on the fence about. Our lunch came in good time and the amberjack was grilled and moist on the inside, tasty and done the right way. My creole gumbo was somewhat different than I am used to but saying that it was most flavorful and had the right kick that you could feel after eating several spoonfuls but not hot to the taste buds. Excellent. I tried my guests bisque and I must say was thrown back by the exquisite flavor. A rich an flavorful bisque with small pieces of shrimp not to overpower the flavor of the bisque. We were both satisfied and happy with our experience and look forward to return visit for dinner.
(4)
Hawk O.
Good seafood,not the greatest service or atmosphere.
(3)
Doug O.
Excellent service! We thoroughly enjoyed our evening. The lobster bisque was wonderful. Our grilled orange roughy and mahi mahi left us very satisfied!
(5)
Avonni H.
When the economy effects the amount of avocado you put in your sushi it's time to hang up your chopsticks! I went to waterfront ready to gnaw off my own arm I was so hungry. The aromas wafting nearby intensified that feeling. I told the sushi bar attendant that I wanted something healthy instead of the captain crunch which is deep fried( crispy and delicious) He recommended the spicy tuna roll. I guess I didn't looking a foodologist to him because he elected to give me the just about to go bad sashimi tuna, the avocado was diced up into fine microscopic pieces so there was no creamy textural element to this selection. The Eel was delicious and the highlight of the entire meal...I've had better. I also ordered the oyster stew. I thought fresh oysters in made to order oyster stew? Why would one venture elsewhere on the menu after reading that. What a disappointment!!! The stew was a mere stain on the waterfront reputation. I've been a loyal customer for years. This stew made me stew!! It was sorely lacking in flavor. The Chef would be called so many names by Gordon Ramsey. I can here him now U bloody wanker, ***ing donkey!!! Need I say more? My money and I went out the door never to return again.
(2)
Jason Y.
My date and I were in the mood for sushi and decided to try Waterfront this past Friday night. We ordered pan-fried oysters and crab cakes for appetizers and asked that they be brought out before our maki rolls. The crab cakes were average and nothing exceptional. The pan fried oysters were heavily breaded and so greasy that we could not taste the oysters. The mouth feel was all wrong, too. As for sushi, we ordered a tuna roll, a king crab roll and the Waterfront roll. It was brought to us in a reasonable time. All three rolls were, simply put, bad--some of the worse sushi I've ever eaten. For starters, the rice in the rolls was not cooked properly. It was mushy and didn't have the right consistency. Also, I could taste no rice vinegar in the rice. It tasted like plain overcooked sticky rice. The tuna roll was fine but contained a skimpy portion of tuna. The Waterfront roll and king crab rolls were indistinguishable from one another and virtually flavorless. I have had sushi at supermarkets and Target for a third of the price that blows this away. Sad but true. Avoid the sushi here! On a positive note, my date ordered a key lime martini, and it was so good that she ordered another.
(2)
Roz S.
The Waterfront is the best place to go in West Des Moines for straight-up seafood. They have a pretty wide selection, including seasonal specials. I tend to go for sushi, and have tried about half the sushi offerings at one time or another - all of which were great. The service here can be a bit slow, and there are often long waits, but the food is really quite good. If you're looking for a more upscale place, try Splash in Des Moines, but for a casual night with great seafood and sushi, try the Waterfront. It's a handy compromise if you're in the mood for sushi but the rest of the group isn't very adventurous; it doesn't get much less adventurous than fried fish, right?
(4)
Stacy M.
Love the sushi and clam chowder. Volcano roll is the best in town!
(5)
Aaron M.
We visited Waterfront for the 1st time in years to try the sushi which we have been hearing is very good, in fact Cityview ranked them as top sushi in Des Moines. So we went on a Saturday afternoon. What I would characterize as very good to great sushi is pulled down by only 1 thing. Lack of menu knowledge by SOME of the wait staff. Our server seemed very un-polished and even argued with us about the contents of one of the rolls we were given that contained flying fish roe that we requested be left off the roll. She argued that it was spicy tuna. A manager came out and told us it was in fact fish eggs and said they'd re-make the roll. 20 minutes later and they still couldn't make it correctly. THIS seems to have made the server irate for some reason so she took the roll off of the bill, slammed the check down and said "Well, we tried our best..." it took a lot for me to not ask why their best was still failure after 2 tries, but I didn't. I still tipped the waitress but I made sure management knew that she didn't know the menu and was treating us very rudely. I'll give them another chance, because the other rolls we got (Godzilla, Captain Crunch and Rock n Roll) were all very good. I didn't get a chance to try any Nigiri or Sashimi but I wouldn't hesitate. Overall I'd give them more stars but the wait staff in general seemed good, not great, and ours was certainly not on top of her game.
(3)
Brady H.
While my expectaitons for seafood were pretty low for Iowa, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. I ate here a few times - always in the bar area. Its too bad they allow smoking. Anyway - service was very good and all the dishes I tried, especially the oysters were delicious.
(4)
Mia R.
One of the best, if not the best seafood place in the Des Moines metro area. Consistantly great fish and seafood. A reasonable selection, especially for the midwest. Often have interesting specials, depending on the fishing industry and what is in season. Good staff, good management, clean, good food. A tiny bit pricy, until you factor in the shipping to the midwest. Not hard to get a good meal for under $20, perhaps well under. They pride themselves in the freshness of their product and it shows. Decent sushi also, even a small sushi bar. Open view kitchen, walk over and look through the glass partition to see them cooking. As for the bad review: I have had only one bad experience in all the years I have eaten here. The manager comp'ed everyone at the table and fired the waiter. Sorry, he was in the wrong profession.
(5)
Tessa N.
I would have to say one of the freshest seafood restaurants in Iowa. I usually go there about once a week for fish or sushi. Service can definately vary from great to very poor but the good food usually makes up for the service inconsistency. I reccommend the volcano roll from the sushi menu.... excellent.
(4)
Jason K.
Waterfront is a pretty good seafood restaurant. The salmon sandwich was really fresh and surprisingly, the volcano sushi roll was REALLY good. The ambiance is ok, but the price is right.
(3)
Jerry P.
We dined at the Waterfront almost weekly in the early-90s. We returned to the Des Moines area in 2002 (10 years later) and hoped one of our favorite seafood places was still intact. Much to our relief nothing much had changed and we dined there at least once a month again for 7 years (we recently moved). Same understated location and decor (even with the update to the interior), but the same outstanding fresh seafood, great prices, and delicious key lime pie. If you go on the weekend, order your key lime pie right away (it goes quick). The halibut is outstanding (blackened or Cajun style is especially good). The specials are always great - especially the fish dishes that they encrust in asiago cheese coating. There used to be a long wait most nights, but the lines have thinned ever since the new mall went up (encircled by overpriced lousy chain restaurants). Unfortunate for The Waterfront, but fortunate for people who still appreciate good food.
(5)
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Address :2900 University Ave,Ste A4
West Des Moines, IA, 50266
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jon W.
I've been to Waterfront several times and I've always enjoyed what I've ordered there and tonight I had a craving for sushi, so I placed an order to go. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered an eel roll and a spicy salmon roll. It was ready in less than 15 minutes and my sushi craving was satisfied! Both rolls tasted fresh and there was plenty of eel and salmon so it wasn't just all rice. It also came with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger. I've had take out at other places and they've forgotten these items. Oh and I've also tried their clam chowder and it was very good, so I'd definitely recommend that dish as well!
(4)Jennifer H.
Waterfront is one of my favorite places to go for either lunch or dinner. I love getting the Pokie Salad and a dirty martini (or two/three). The lobster bisque is delicious too. Everything is as fresh as you can possibly get in the middle of Iowa. The wait staff is always experienced, helpful and able to answer any question you have. They truly aim to please. It can be a very busy place, but if you do have to wait, it's always worth it!
(5)David G.
Don't let the outside of the place fool you. What it lacks in drive up appeal is more than made up inside and more importantly with the food and service. The menu is extensive with both value priced entrées and higher end choices. Everything was stunningly fresh and served by a great staff. I'll be back....
(4)Robyn T.
There was a bit of a wait so we waited at the bar and ordered oysters & Bloody Mary's. They make their own BM mix! Alaskan king crab legs we got were fat & fantastic... Surprisingly sufficient amount for splitting. Clam chowder soup lived up to its fame IMO (voted best in DSM?) Their Des Moines roll was mediocre. Ordered this and each piece was a different thickness. It wasn't rolled very tight, either. Won't order rolls again, but would try sashimi or nigiri pieces. Look forward to coming back!
(4)Thao P.
This is a great seafood restaurant in Iowa and one of my favorite overall in the Des Moines area. There are two locations- one in Clive and one in Ankeny. Service- Wonderful! In all the times I've been here, the waitstaff are extremely friendly and attentive. They know the menu really well and go above and beyond Food- Amazing! They have a good variety of food that includes fresh seafood, fried seafood, sushi, soup, etc. A lot of people perceive this place as expensive because of the seafood options but there also totally affordable options under $10 like the famous Clam Chowder soup, gumbo, oysters, mussels, po'boys and lot of other items. My favorites are the Clam Chowder, Fried Rock Shrimp, Oysters, Mussells, Fish and Chips, and Pokie Salad! It's hard to find Poke salad in Des Moines, so that's great it's here. A lot of times, places that don't solely serve sushi struggle with serving good quality sushi but this place has great sushi and it's a large menu too! Also recommend getting a side of their warm sourdough bread here too! Environment- The decor and environment is very warm and the aura smells of delicious seafood. Very clean and spacious as well.
(5)Jesse M.
Nope. No more. This used to be a regular of ours, but the last time I went the service was terrible and between my wife and I, no drinks, we paid almost $90 for our meal. Overpriced and lack-luster. Needs a lot of work.
(2)Mike P.
First experience at Waterfront Seafood Market. No reservations accepted. Arrived at 7:30 PM on a Friday evening as were promptly seated. ORDERED: Half dozen oysters on the half shell $12.95, Cup of Gumbo $4.95, Fiesta Roll sushi $14.95, Spicy Tuna Roll $8.95, Rock Shrimp Po'Boy $12.95 TASTED: It was my fault for forgetting about oysters in warm months. They were bloated and huge - my mistake. Nice presentation with silver tray, horseradish, cocktail sauce and crackers. The GUMBO had a nice flavor but lacked much seafood. I remember Buzzard Billy's version being far superior to this one. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Po'Boy based off a photo I saw here on Yelp. This sandwich was amazing! Lightly breaded sweet rock shrimp on a French roll, lettuce, tomato, cocktail and tartar sauce. My favorite sandwich of all time is the Lobster Roll at St. Paul Fish Company at the Milwaukee Public Market, Waterfront's Po'Boy is now my number two. My dining partner ordered the sushi and said it was acceptable but not anywhere close to Tao/Chi. SERVICE: Our waitress and service left much to be desired. Rarely checked on us, my oysters came out with my entree when we agreed they were an appetizer when I ordered them. An overall surly attitude like a burnt out Village Inn waitress. We all have bad days.
(3)Clair M.
I love waterfront! It's a great lunch date place with creative specials for both afternoon and evening dinning. I can't pass up the seafood gumbo it's the best! They are known for there seafood chowder but I'm allergic to dairy but it looks fabulous! Great sushi, fish and chips, drinks (especially the Bloody Mary) service and much more! Clean and tidy restrooms and seating. I am only giving this place 4 stars because it seems like they should have a remodel but they could be keeping it this way due to part of its charm. They also have a seafood market attached to the restaurant. I have never gotten any of the market food to prepare at home but a few of my friends have and enjoyed it!
(4)Jessica K.
I've only been here once and it was a really good experience. It was not busy when we went (it was around 2-2:30, after the lunch rush) on a Saturday. They had 1/2 off oysters special going on that day, which is pretty awesome considering it's an arm and a leg anywhere else in the Midwest! Our waiter was very nice and efficient. We never felt like we were waiting for him to come back. Their sushi is awesome! Only complaint I have is that the oyster shells were still pretty dirty. I have a really strong stomach but I was a bit worried about the dirtiness of the shell (I still ate the oysters and am still alive ). Hopefully they will do a better job cleaning the shells before serving them! Other than that, the food was fantastic!
(4)Travis B.
The service here was great. Very nice, very prompt. The atmosphere of the restaurant reminds me of a Boston seaside fishmarket....kinda cozy, kinda dirty. I wanted a bowl of the clam chowder but like so many things in Iowa, it comes with bacon. Red flag! Good clam chowder should stand on it's own. I figured they can't make it right if they have to flavor it up with bacon. I had the grilled trout. It was nicely filleted, with not a single bone. The texture was perfect and it was cooked tenderly. It came with a big scoop of tartar sauce...yech. The fish tastes delicious without blobs of tartar. The meal came with a side salad....a poor, sad iceberg/cherry tomato, 1 cucumber slice, a few slivers of carrot shreds. My buddy had the fried perch. As he was eating, he noted that there was more batter than actual fish. I hear the locals love it. Good for them.
(3)Jennifer W.
I love this place! I've been here for lunch a handful of times. Today I ordered the Lobster Bisque and Shrimp Salad. SO good! The blue cheese is made with Maytag Blue Cheese. YUM. I love the sour dough bread too. They used to give a basket of bread with a meal but progressively have scaled the bread back. My salad came with bread and I asked our server how much bread I could have, she said two pieces. :) Done and done. Definitely make your way to this restaurant. I think this location and Ankeny are equally delicious.
(5)Amanda I.
Sushi sushi sushi. Great selection and variety of sushi. Try the sushi poppers very unconventional sushi option. It's deep fried with no rice but definitely worth trying. All have a unique flare on sushi.
(4)John H.
Great Sushi and great service. Open until 10 pm on weekdays was nice too. Bartender was super cool and helpful.
(5)H L.
Always happy with the food. Some of the freshest seafood in Des Moines. I've been here more than a dozen times & most of the time the service is slow. BUT if you have time to burn, the food is good!
(4)Jason H.
The service 10/10. The Godzilla roll 10/10. The clam chowder 67/10. The Walleye dinner 24/10. Need I say more? Well yah, I guess I will since I like to give a little more I depth review. To start I want to say that the service was some of the best service I have ever had at any Restaurant. The food was on time and the waitress (Jill I think) was personable and always at our needs. When the Godzilla roll came out it was game on! I grew up a huge Godzilla fan so this roll had a lot to live up to. Let's just say that this roll was the true "king of the monsters" since it sufficed my Monster of an appetite. Now let me start by saying I LOVE soup of all kinds and have tried many throughout my life. This Clam Chowder was probably in the top 3 if not the best soup I have ever put down my gullet. The thickness was perfect and the mixture of the potatoes and clams was heavenly. The creamy broth mixture of this chowder was unbelievably luscious and perfect. After I ate this chowder It inspired me and I wanted to write a poem or a song. this soup is an inspiration and that is the reason I gave it 67 out of 10. Now on to my main dish the walleye. Still on a euphoric high from the chowder, the walleye came out. I have never had walleye so this was a make or break for me. This dish made me into a #believer of the walleye fish. The crust was pan fried to perfection and the walleye as a whole had this "back home grandma" buttery taste that just melts in your mouth. There is a reason I gave this dish 14 points extra credit at a 24 out of 10. :) Overall my dining experience at Waterfront was one of the best I have ever had. The food was epic in a way it inspires you to write books or run 5ks and The service was top notch. Until next time yelpers, Due to how inspired I am it's time to write that book, song, poem, and run that 5k.
(5)Plenty F.
4 stars. Good service, especially for a place in a strip mall. I had the king crab which was absolutely delicious and melt-in-your-mouth sweet. Not too salty, but not bland. Sourdough bread was a winner. Vegetables needed some seasoning. My dining companions enjoyed their meals, as well. Except, one of the fishes were FULL of bones...little bitty ones that made eating less enjoyable. I wish the server had pointed this out, but she didn't. All in all - it's a Solid joint.
(4)Abdelaziz E.
Great place. Very delicious food. Big portions. Very reasonable price. Service is good. Large variety of fish and dishes. I really enjoyed it
(5)Brianna D.
Don't let the outside of this place fool you! BEST calamari and coconut shrimp I've ever had and the sushi isn't far behind. Service is wonderful and the servers are very knowledgable of the menu and attentive to the guests.
(5)Gino D.
At here last night while on some business travel. Always enjoy eating a locally owned place. It was vey good! Had the halibut and it was very good. I also had some barbecue shrimp and it was fantastic My only comment would be that the waitress should have had some suggestions. It did not seem that she was very well versed on the men.
(4)Karrissa A.
Mediocre at best. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this place, but this was the most unfantastic restaurant I have ever been too. I had heard great things about this restaurant and was told to give it a shot for my birthday dinner. I love fish and used to work at a sushi restaurant in college so I was excited to celebrate with my family (5 of us) over sushi. I should have seen the red flags when I walked in and didn't immediately see a sushi bar or sushi chefs. I sat down with my family and began ordering. I started out with a cup of the lobster bisque, which was the only thing I had that was better than just mediocre tasting. My boyfriend and I ordered 4 sushi rolls: the Chuck Norris Roll, the Fiesta Roll, the Stop, Drop and Roll roll, and the John Special Roll. The sushi was the most mediocre, thrown together rolls I have ever eaten. Not only were they unevenly cut, but they fell apart immediately upon attempting to pick them up. They didn't taste bad, but they didn't taste particularly good either. After the sushi they brought me out a birthday desert, which was a piece of stale chocolate cake with little dollops of spray whipped cream...not very appealing for a birthday dessert to say the least. We also ordered the chocolate bread pudding which was supposedly the special desert of the evening and it was by far the worst bread pudding I have tasted. To top it off our server never came by to refill our drinks and did not clear the plates after we were finished eating. Final verdict: Sushi- mediocre, Dessert- mediocre, service- mediocre. I do not think I will be back to this place again and I really recommend going elsewhere if you're in the mood for sushi.
(2)Jennifer P.
First time eating sushi. Loved it! Great margarita too! Tuesday night is sushi specials.
(5)Jean M.
I love the sushi here at the sushi bar and the chefs are very friendly. It's my go to hands down.
(4)Charlie C.
Had drinks and apps. Very good cocktails and bar atmosphere. Peel and eat shrimp were perfect. Server asked how the clam chowder was and I said it was cold. His response was "Wow". And we were still charged for it. Need to work on that.
(4)Mark S.
This is for the sushi staff in your preparation of an awesome lunch, squid salad was super savory with just a slight spicy bite!! The sushi is always fresh and this "scorpion king" specialty roll was awesome though a good challenge to get a piece picked up and consumed in one bite. This place is the real deal to sit and have all kinds of fresh fish, shrimp, octopus, and my absolute favorite being the eel, smokey and sweet. Great Job.
(5)Kenneth B.
My wife and I went there for lunch today. The atmosphere could best be described as "road house". The wait staff is road house style. The salad was mature. The fish was excellent. Veggies were undesirable. Overall this restaurant is about 3 steps below Red Lobster. We will not go back unless we just needed a quick meal with no expectations.
(2)Alyssa C.
BEST SEAFOOD IN TOWN! If you want a restaurant with good food and even better service come to waterfront (WF). We started the night with the Godzilla Roll which was insanely delicious. It is a 12 piece roll cut thinly but packs a great punch of flavor. Then came out our soup. We tried the gumbo and clam chowder. Gumbo was filled with seafood and seasoned extremely well. It is spicy like gumbo should be! But I cannot express how amazing the clam chowder is. It's not too fishy which never happens!! I could come back solely for the clam chowder!!! They also serve bread which is warm and fresh! Then we had our meals. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Po-Boy which was good. The best way to eat this po-boy is to squeeze the bun and eat it sideways instead of head on. The reason being is that there is cocktail cause on one side and tartar sauce on the other side of the bun... Eat it together and you have an EPIC Po-Boy! We also tried the pan seared Walleye which was so tender, flaky, and buttery. I recommend getting a side of pilaf rice with the walleye and eating it together. It was absolutely delicious. As such come here if you like seafood and great service. I had a wonderful time here and I assure you this place will not disappoint!
(5)Jim S.
I used to go there at least 6 times a year. I also used to get the bisque and chowder for holidays. The last time both soups hardly had any seafood in them. When I went back and spoke to the manager he would not do anything to make up for it. No offer to give more soup or a credit. No attitude or indication of wanting to help. Haven't been back since.
(1)Martin B.
Stopped for lunch today. Julie, the best and my favourite wait staff was working today. Superb service. Always pleasant. Extremely efficient. Had oysters for my app. BBQ shrimp for my main. Key Lime for dessert. Everything was fresh. Executed w/o flaw. I'm n heaven. Best seafood in Des Moines. Say hi to Julie when you see her.
(5)Tiffany K.
Awesome fish restaurant in Des Moines. I am not a big fish person but like some sushi and love crab cakes and this place hit the spot! The crab cakes were amazing! The sushi was delicious and made fresh. The house dressing is also very delicious. Would definitely go back, but expect a wait on typical busy days (or get there early). The wait staff was also super friendly. Sushi took some time (due to it being busy) and the waitress seemed sincerely worried about us being upset with the wait. Would definitely recommend for the seafood in the area.
(5)Christine H.
Deeeelicious! I sat at the bar for their vaunted clam chowder which did not disappoint, along with oysters on the half shell and drinks. One side of this business is sushi bar with a fish market feel, and the other side was a more upscale dining room and separate bar area that is chill and not too loud. My only regret was not going back again before I left Des Moines. All the seafood was fresh, the service was attentive and quick and I can't wait to go back.
(4)Michael G.
Consistently the best sushi in the Des Moines area. The quality is excellent and the prices are decent. I highly recommend the Chuck Norris roll!
(5)Marc L.
Let me start by saying, yes it is in a strip mall ... We almost turned around to find something else, but other Yelp reviews convinced me to stay. I AM SO GLAD WE DID. The food here is wonderful! Sushi was fantastic (I had the Bruce Lee). There was not a bad meal between the four of us.
(5)Mark G.
Great Seafood restaurant. They have a great selection of fresh fish as well as sushi. Love this place since it is one of the only true seafood places in Iowa. They have options as to how they will prepare your food. Not a red lobster type of place, expect more when you come here. Has what you are looking for as a seafood fan. Tried many dishes here, done right every time. They do have special and lunch too, blackend is one of my fav styles from them. Need more places like the Waterfront.
(4)Jennifer V.
You won't find fresher seafood in the Midwest...we bought a case of fresh oysters on December 23rd. They were great quality, large and very, very fresh. We kept them on ice and shucked about 1/2 of them on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day. Hubby is from the San Francisco Bay Area and my father spends a lot of time on the gulf coast. They both raved about the quality and were surprised that such freshness could be found in Des Moines. The service we received in the market was excellent. The staff was helpful and knowledgable even when they were busy. We will defiantly be regulars and are thrilled to have found a source of quality seafood in the area.
(5)Luke T.
On business trip. Stopped by for lunch around 11am just after the place was opened. Already few people. Scanned the room, I was the youngest customer. First of all, i didn't see water (name threw me off). Wasn't greeted right away, hostess apparently was more concerened about what to write on the board although she saw me. Place was neat, clean, with cool decor. Ordered lunch special bass and yellowtail sushi roll. Bass was meh, not enough taste. Sushi was weirdly warm... Not worth the price.
(2)Andrew W.
Pretty tasty. Not many options for sushi/sashimi and it took at least 30 minutes which is a long wait in my experience. Might try again.
(3)Dave M.
It was a chilly afternoon in Iowa yesterday, as I walked around waiting for my car to be fixed at Tires Plus. I strolled into Waterfront Seafood not expecting much from an old strip-mall, seafood restaurant that is called Waterfront, even though its nowhere close to water and situated next to a TJ Maxx. Its almost genius how their location lowers expectations, but then the quality of the food lifts them into the clouds! Now I admit that I only had a bowl of their award-winning clam chowder, so read other reviews for an evaluation of their menu, but I can tell you this much - the chowder was fantastic! A perfect serving size containing a well-balanced serving of claims and potatoes. I loved it! I will be coming back for sure to try more from their menu, as their prices seem reasonable and the atmosphere was pleasant inside. The beers on tap were also a nice selection including seasonal crafts and California steam beers. Waterfront Seafood Market was a pleasant surprise.
(4)Jerry N.
Great service, and the food was very good. I had the Walleye Basket. The fish was prepared just right. We have never had a bad meal there, and we like that several of the staff have been there for years.
(5)Christine T.
Awesome service! Our server was awesome friendly and continued to check on us. Good was great!
(5)He And She I.
Five stars for providing healthy choices, presented in an appetizing way. I do miss the old small market, but they did have to grow, because they are so good. You can get your usual fried fish if you want, but you can also put together an unusual grouping of healthier choices, such as pokey with wasabi, or cucumber salad.
(5)Derek B.
Been there twice. The first time, I would have given it a 5. Last time, I would have done 3 stars. So, I'll meet in the middle. First time- A little over a year ago my family went there. We were all impressed. Had the rock shrimp and calamari apps. along with King Crab Legs. Both were amazing. We all ordered something different and everyone was very impressed with their dishes from my Mom's Talapia (If I remember correctly, this was amazing) to my wife's chicken dish. This last weekend- Went there quite hungover for lunch (so this might have been a problem.) Ended up just ordering apps. at the bar. Got the same two as before and both were good, but, not as great as I remembered. Then I also saw a guy that got the glazes mushrooms and they looked great so I had them make me a half order. At first they were going down great, but, then it seemed as if they got spicier and spicier until I was about to drown in my own sweat (not sure if this was the alcohol, spice, or likely a bit of both.) So, I had to get out of there. Also, the bar servers were very good and gave me a lot of attn even though I wasn't drinking, so that was nice.
(4)Rachel K.
I had the Maryland crab cakes with a cup of clam chowder and sweet fries for the sides. It came with two slices of warm sour dough bread. I enjoyed all the food down to the butter that came with the bread. The crab cakes were the best I have had in the Midwest. The sweet potato fries were just the way I like them cripsy but not over cooked. I only wish they had a special dipping sauce for the fries but I just dipped it in the sauce for my crab cakes which was delicious. If you like seafood then definitely check out this place and the prices are reasonable for seafood in Midwest.
(5)Don F.
I enjoy the waterfront. being from the east coast I miss my seafood. Service is great. Sushi is good but I love it when they have live crab. It's the beast!!!
(4)Andrea T.
Food: 4 stars Service: 2 stars We had a group of 7 on a Friday night. We were told it would be a 20 min wait but it really turned into a 30+ min wait. When we finally got our table, our service did not get any better. We ordered drinks (3 beers, 2 diet cokes, an iced tea and a water). Our server brought out waters for everyone and then the beers which one of them was the wrong kind. Then I mentioned I had an iced tea and he completely forgot about the non-alcoholic drinks. He brought them and apologized laughing. When it came time to order, one of the people in our group wanted Mahi-Mahi, which we then learned they were out of it. Why not tell us that when you first came to our table? Our table ordered some sushi, oysters, tilapia, halibut and opah (one of the specials). The clam chowder was good as was the bread but the salads were nothing special. I had the opah and it had good flavor and was a good sized piece. It was only lukewarm whereas my husband's halibut was really hot. Any of the sushi with cream cheese in it had way too much cream cheese and they said it had a strange taste. Otherwise, they enjoyed their sushi. They give you Andes Mints at the end with your check so that is always a plus! The food is good so I would come back for that but the service, at least for this night was bad. I have heard that they do have some good servers so I just hope we get a good one next time!
(3)Raymond H.
Overpriced and lousy service. I am not sure what the big deal is but people insist on coming here and it's just not good. Rude male server and moth full of sand when expecting clam. Chowder was think and had too much Wondra in it. Meh. I've experienced better at Long John Silvers.
(2)Lindsay E.
This is the second time in the last 2 months we have been here and service was horrible!! Got a grilled shrimp salad and soup and slider. Both meals should take a few minutes. And it wasn't even busy like it usually is. After waiting for 25 minutes, we got our order to go.....only to get no eating utensils with it. By the time I got rung up we were there 35 minutes. This is our fourth visit ever, the last two were horrible, and I really don't think we will come back.
(2)Erika H.
Our family's go to seafood restaurant for lunch or dinner. Ordering a cup or clam chowder is a must for my husband on every visit. Staff is friendly and efficient, food it delicious!
(5)B B.
This is the ONLY place in Des Moines to eat sushi. Everything is fresh. They have the best spicy tuna roll I've ever had. Also, the pull and peel shrimp is sooo good. The reason I give it 4 stars is because of the atmosphere. The decor looks like a cheesy fish restaurant from the 80's! Also, they don't have a coctail menu. They should branch out and make a separate sushi restaurant with a cocktail menu. It would attract more young people!
(4)K J.
Prices too high to match service! This was our second time at Waterfront. It was a rough start as we waited an hour to get a table. We asked our waitress for a drink list and she came back with their "suggested drinks" a menu with maybe five different cocktails and were told they have a full service bar. The drink list and menu have no mention of the beers so I asked what if any IPA's they had and the waitress had no idea what an IPA was. After explaining it she still didn't understand and said she could get me a beer list, I thought that was implied when we asked for a drink menu. I didn't want to lose her again so I just took a common beer. We were going to get a dessert if asked but our server basically asked if we wanted the check and that seemed to be the quickest turn around for her the entire night. Aside from the service the food was great! The best seafood you can get in Des Moines in my opinion. I won't be going back for a long time due to the terrible service and high price.
(3)Tyler R.
This would probably have been 4 stars if not for the cocktails. I'm all for a little extra alcohol in a drink if it still tastes good, however both of ours were way too strong. The specialty rolls were good, but maybe not as good as Samarai Sushi.
(3)Mark S.
Waterfront provides a decent, locally owned seafood dining experience. The interior is a bit dated (think 1980s Red Lobster), but portions are generous and prices are reasonable. The quality is generally ok. Sushi is average, though the fish is very fresh. The clam chowder is entirely too thick, resembling icing more than soup. The texture is a big turn off. Fish preparation is also ok, though the kitchen needs to be a bit more rigorous with their deboning work. Overall a solid effort for a seafood-focused restaurant in Des Moines. The Bonefish experience is a bit higher end and more enjoyable if you are willing to part with a few more dollars per person.
(3)Paul B.
There is only one thing preventing me from giving this 5 stars....the fish smell. That being said this is a place that you MUST try if you are in the Des Moines area. There is both a regular menu and a sushi menu. If you decide to go the sushi route the Chuck Norris Roll is an absolute AH-mazing. I am not from Iowa, so needless to say when I tried this place I was skeptical, being that it was a seafood restaurant in a landlocked state. However, the food here is fresh and deeeeeelicious. Seriously...get the Chuck Norris Roll!!!
(4)Cindy Vy N.
Went here on a Friday night, girls night out...woohoo! My sisters and I chose to go to the Waterfront because it was listed as 5th favorite restaurant in Des Moines by its residents. We were counting on the residents to not lead us astray. It was a packed house that night, the bar was full, there was a 45 minute wait to be seated, luckily there was plenty of space at the sushi bar. Famished and impatient we gladly sat at the sushi bar where we wouldn't have to wait. I'll admit that I've always been a bit wary about consuming seafood in the midwest, it's not always fresh and most of the time it's poorly done. So when we were situated at the sushi bar and I saw that they had precut their sashimi I had low expectations for the sushi. After taking 10 minutes to peruse the menu we decided to share several items from the regular menu: a bowl of seafood gumbo, the Chilean Sea bass with sweet potato fries, Sirloin and Scallops skewers with saffron rice pilaf. And a few rolls from the sushi bar: the Chuck Norris, Tuna Tempera, and Miami Heat. I loved the sushi, surprisingly, but hated the entrees. The Chilean Sea bass was not what we expected, we expected a thick cut of sea bass, only to be disappointed by a slice that as 1/2 inch thick at most. Although the sirloin on the skewers were tender and juicy it lacked any flavor and the rice pilaf was extremely salty. If you plan to visit the waterfront, skip the entrees, and stick with the sushi. The sushi and the excellent service we received that night from the sushi chef, the on clock one and the off clock one sitting next to us, and the sushi bar staff was what made this place deserving of 4 stars instead of 3. Thank you to the Des Moines residents for the recommendation.
(4)Liz C.
This restaurant is way overrated. The food was mediocre. I've had my good share of seafood throughout the world, and nothing stands out here. I got a mouthful of sand for majority of the clams, the halibut was dry, and they didn't even have lobster? I thought this was a seafood restaurant...definitely limited... Secondly, they lacked customer service. An older gentleman was our waiter, and he was just flat out rude and had an impudent attitude throughout his service. He definitely needed to work on his customer service skills, or maybe just retire.. I will not be coming back, for sure..
(1)Debbie B.
This is one of our favorite lunch spots. If you're on a budget, the catfish basket is a good buy. Seafood is fresh and cooked in a type of oil that isn't so bad for the arteries. Coleslaw, fries, and sweet potato fries all are great. Sushi is very good too. Great, solid place to go with expert servers. Love it! (PS: Iced tea is excellent too. That is my litmus test.)
(5)Christine C.
I had steak and shrimp. The ribeye was delicious- cooked perfectly (medium) and the shrimp scampi was excellent. I also had salad and a baked potato. Yumm!
(5)JB B.
Can you say best chowder in town? Nuff said. Mild, warm and inviting atmosphere. Cool blues and whites, nautically themed. Top notch service with Brittany. Pleasant, informative and efficient. Try the Rock Shrimp. I could get used to this....
(4)Shing Yiing O.
Seafood in Des Moines... Do you believe it???? Well.. obviously it's not as fresh as you can expect.. but it's really good enough.. :) and pls.. Don't relate sushi to seafood... sushi DOES NOT equal to seafood.. they are different!!!!! I have not tried their sushi but I came here twice for their seafood.. So.. another CELEBRATION!!! aha.. it's my friend's celebration.. he just received a job offer in NYC!! :D OF COURSE, CELEBRATION IS A MUST!!! while waiting to be seated.. we went to the seafood market... everything seems pretty fresh to me... Especially the clams, tuna, and salmon... Starting with an appetizer of course!! We wanted to order oyster but they ran out of it!!! Under the waitress recommendation... we ordered from the special menu.. Mussels!!! Mussels baked with tomato.. and I guess I tasted some white wine.. MMmmm... It's so delicious!!! The waitress brought some lemon and butter for us to dip the mussels with it.. I enjoyed it with lemon as well.. I don't really like it with butter... same goes to my friend.. he loves it just with the original taste.. with a bit of tomato.. Oh yea.. and they served us sour dough bread as well... We dip the bread into the sauce/soup.. or whatever you call... from the mussels... (sorry I really don't know how to describe it.. forgive me) Ordered Alaskan Style Wild Salmon.. grilled with honey and some peppercorn perhaps??? MMmmm... Delicious... I guess they must imported from somewhere else.. because it's Des Moines!!!! We don't have fresh seafood!!!!! but.. the way they grilled the salmon is perfect.. enjoyed it with squeeze of lemon.. Honey.. Lemon.. Pepper... Sweetness, saltiness, sourness.. blended so well... TEXTURE is PERFECT and my friend ordered Scallop Marruca.. I really can't tell how they boiled it.. The scallops are so special... sweet butter and some garlic.. Scallop is not too huge and just nice to enjoy it.. Portion is not as huge as I expected.. We ordered fries, salad with ranch dressing, claim chowder soup, and seafood gumbo soup.. Seafood Gumbo soup is just ok.. Claim chowder is pretty good... My friend said it's actually better than the one we had at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.. Really?? But I prefer the one in San Francisco tho.. Enjoyed it with white wine.. totally just make my day.. Starve myself for the night.. it's kinda worth it.. :)
(4)Gwen G.
Coconut Shrimp, Scallops, Clams and Asparagas - Our family visited Waterfront last evening. We are new to Des Moines and had wanted to try this place for a while. We had purchased seafood from their market and were happy with it. However, If you are any kind of "foodie" you will not like this restaurant. The inflated prices are deceiving. You would think you would get awesome food for $30 an entree. The asparagus was over steamed and not seasoned at all. Our server told us it was because of many folks eating restrictions, really? I ordered a baked potato that came out cold and was sent back. The clams were cooked too long. The tuna had no flavor. The scallops were the best thing our table had but yet they were swimming in oil but they were cooked properly. I myself am very vocal when I'm paying a lot for a meal and its not up to par. The server didn't seem to care nor did he get any sort of manager to come and apologize for anything that happened with the meal. The only thing we did enjoy was the sushi. I don't know why some of the other reviews say to stay away from it. I had the coconut shrimp and there was way too much coconut on them you could barely taste the shrimp. As we left I asked for a comment card from the Host at the front and she (with attitude) handed me the owners card. We will not be returning except to the market. If I want seafood in Des Moines I will be preparing it myself.
(1)Erica H.
I love seafood, and Waterfront is the best place for seafood in Iowa. I don't know how they do it, but considering that we are very, very, very, very far from any large body of water, their business is fresh and tasty. Clam chowder? Delicious. Sushi? The Godzilla roll was yummy (and huge). Coconut shrimp? Yes, please. Even my seafood-hating husband gave them two thumbs up. I also think their prices are quite reasonable.
(5)Donald Y.
Excellent sushi! I've been here a handful of times and skip the fresh seafood and go straight for the sushi menu, although I have heard that their seafood is second to none in the Metro. I have yet to have a roll that I don't like here. Some of my favorites include the volcano roll, the godzilla roll, and the Chuck Norris roll. My only small complaint would be that their draft beer selection is lacking somewhat otherwise this is a can't miss spot for some great sushi!
(5)Doug M.
Went there last Friday and was told to go early or expect a wait. My source was correct, we got there a little before 5:30 and were seated right away and when we left there was quite a few people waiting. My family and I decided to go with sushi and we all found it to be terrific. The volcano, des moines and spicy tuna were some of my favorites of the evening. The price was about average but well worth it for the quality of the food. My only complaint would be the service and amount of time it took to get our food was pretty slow.
(4)Brando B.
We had a volcano roll today and it was amazing. My wife doesnt like real exotic sushi like me but she is expanding her horizons a bit past a plain old california roll. We both loved it! We stopped in while running errands on a saturday, sat at the sushi bar and washed the fantastic food down with a couple cold draft beers. Great service, great place!
(5)Kelly K.
My sister recently introduced me to this place and I am in love! The first time I went I had the shrimp po'boy (of course), it was very good. Fresh, delicious, shrimp, the bread could be a little bit crustier, but it was good. Sweet potato fries as an option are great, they were delicious as well. Next time I went was with my girlfriends. This place is always busy. We went at 3 pm on a Saturday two weeks before Christmas. About a five minute wait, place was packed, but they got us right in. I had the grilled shrimp salad with the house dressing, which is a creamy parmesan. I had six, large, deliciously grilled shrimp, salad is pretty basic (Iceberg, carrots, tomatoes) but the dressing is so good, I dream about this salad at night! My girlfriends raved about their meals, too. Fried shrimp, clam chowder, unagi, grilled scallops, and sushi rolls (I can't remember exactly what they got, but my friends are well-versed in sushi) were all delicious and devoured voraciously. Probably the best seafood in Des Moines. Ignore the decor, it's all about the food here. Our waitress was also very friendly, knowledgeable and pleasant even though they were slammed and it was obvious she was busy. Go as soon as you can!
(5)Biggah K.
Not bad at all. That grilled Orange Roughy is amazing
(4)Ron T.
I have searched and reviewed many Des Moines restaurants so I may sample what Des Moines has to offer in dining. Waterfront kept popping up as a top destination. So there we were......... The lunch menu is very limited but acceptable. We chose a special. I chose a grilled amberjack on a warm kaiser roll with mushrooms and swiss cheese and the creole gumbo. I have spent all my life almost traveling Louisiana and Mississipi on business so I have enjoyed the best when it comes to Cajun/Creole dining. My guest had the same amberjack sandwich but chose the shrimp bisque which I was on the fence about. Our lunch came in good time and the amberjack was grilled and moist on the inside, tasty and done the right way. My creole gumbo was somewhat different than I am used to but saying that it was most flavorful and had the right kick that you could feel after eating several spoonfuls but not hot to the taste buds. Excellent. I tried my guests bisque and I must say was thrown back by the exquisite flavor. A rich an flavorful bisque with small pieces of shrimp not to overpower the flavor of the bisque. We were both satisfied and happy with our experience and look forward to return visit for dinner.
(4)Hawk O.
Good seafood,not the greatest service or atmosphere.
(3)Doug O.
Excellent service! We thoroughly enjoyed our evening. The lobster bisque was wonderful. Our grilled orange roughy and mahi mahi left us very satisfied!
(5)Avonni H.
When the economy effects the amount of avocado you put in your sushi it's time to hang up your chopsticks! I went to waterfront ready to gnaw off my own arm I was so hungry. The aromas wafting nearby intensified that feeling. I told the sushi bar attendant that I wanted something healthy instead of the captain crunch which is deep fried( crispy and delicious) He recommended the spicy tuna roll. I guess I didn't looking a foodologist to him because he elected to give me the just about to go bad sashimi tuna, the avocado was diced up into fine microscopic pieces so there was no creamy textural element to this selection. The Eel was delicious and the highlight of the entire meal...I've had better. I also ordered the oyster stew. I thought fresh oysters in made to order oyster stew? Why would one venture elsewhere on the menu after reading that. What a disappointment!!! The stew was a mere stain on the waterfront reputation. I've been a loyal customer for years. This stew made me stew!! It was sorely lacking in flavor. The Chef would be called so many names by Gordon Ramsey. I can here him now U bloody wanker, ***ing donkey!!! Need I say more? My money and I went out the door never to return again.
(2)Jason Y.
My date and I were in the mood for sushi and decided to try Waterfront this past Friday night. We ordered pan-fried oysters and crab cakes for appetizers and asked that they be brought out before our maki rolls. The crab cakes were average and nothing exceptional. The pan fried oysters were heavily breaded and so greasy that we could not taste the oysters. The mouth feel was all wrong, too. As for sushi, we ordered a tuna roll, a king crab roll and the Waterfront roll. It was brought to us in a reasonable time. All three rolls were, simply put, bad--some of the worse sushi I've ever eaten. For starters, the rice in the rolls was not cooked properly. It was mushy and didn't have the right consistency. Also, I could taste no rice vinegar in the rice. It tasted like plain overcooked sticky rice. The tuna roll was fine but contained a skimpy portion of tuna. The Waterfront roll and king crab rolls were indistinguishable from one another and virtually flavorless. I have had sushi at supermarkets and Target for a third of the price that blows this away. Sad but true. Avoid the sushi here! On a positive note, my date ordered a key lime martini, and it was so good that she ordered another.
(2)Roz S.
The Waterfront is the best place to go in West Des Moines for straight-up seafood. They have a pretty wide selection, including seasonal specials. I tend to go for sushi, and have tried about half the sushi offerings at one time or another - all of which were great. The service here can be a bit slow, and there are often long waits, but the food is really quite good. If you're looking for a more upscale place, try Splash in Des Moines, but for a casual night with great seafood and sushi, try the Waterfront. It's a handy compromise if you're in the mood for sushi but the rest of the group isn't very adventurous; it doesn't get much less adventurous than fried fish, right?
(4)Stacy M.
Love the sushi and clam chowder. Volcano roll is the best in town!
(5)Aaron M.
We visited Waterfront for the 1st time in years to try the sushi which we have been hearing is very good, in fact Cityview ranked them as top sushi in Des Moines. So we went on a Saturday afternoon. What I would characterize as very good to great sushi is pulled down by only 1 thing. Lack of menu knowledge by SOME of the wait staff. Our server seemed very un-polished and even argued with us about the contents of one of the rolls we were given that contained flying fish roe that we requested be left off the roll. She argued that it was spicy tuna. A manager came out and told us it was in fact fish eggs and said they'd re-make the roll. 20 minutes later and they still couldn't make it correctly. THIS seems to have made the server irate for some reason so she took the roll off of the bill, slammed the check down and said "Well, we tried our best..." it took a lot for me to not ask why their best was still failure after 2 tries, but I didn't. I still tipped the waitress but I made sure management knew that she didn't know the menu and was treating us very rudely. I'll give them another chance, because the other rolls we got (Godzilla, Captain Crunch and Rock n Roll) were all very good. I didn't get a chance to try any Nigiri or Sashimi but I wouldn't hesitate. Overall I'd give them more stars but the wait staff in general seemed good, not great, and ours was certainly not on top of her game.
(3)Brady H.
While my expectaitons for seafood were pretty low for Iowa, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. I ate here a few times - always in the bar area. Its too bad they allow smoking. Anyway - service was very good and all the dishes I tried, especially the oysters were delicious.
(4)Mia R.
One of the best, if not the best seafood place in the Des Moines metro area. Consistantly great fish and seafood. A reasonable selection, especially for the midwest. Often have interesting specials, depending on the fishing industry and what is in season. Good staff, good management, clean, good food. A tiny bit pricy, until you factor in the shipping to the midwest. Not hard to get a good meal for under $20, perhaps well under. They pride themselves in the freshness of their product and it shows. Decent sushi also, even a small sushi bar. Open view kitchen, walk over and look through the glass partition to see them cooking. As for the bad review: I have had only one bad experience in all the years I have eaten here. The manager comp'ed everyone at the table and fired the waiter. Sorry, he was in the wrong profession.
(5)Tessa N.
I would have to say one of the freshest seafood restaurants in Iowa. I usually go there about once a week for fish or sushi. Service can definately vary from great to very poor but the good food usually makes up for the service inconsistency. I reccommend the volcano roll from the sushi menu.... excellent.
(4)Jason K.
Waterfront is a pretty good seafood restaurant. The salmon sandwich was really fresh and surprisingly, the volcano sushi roll was REALLY good. The ambiance is ok, but the price is right.
(3)Jerry P.
We dined at the Waterfront almost weekly in the early-90s. We returned to the Des Moines area in 2002 (10 years later) and hoped one of our favorite seafood places was still intact. Much to our relief nothing much had changed and we dined there at least once a month again for 7 years (we recently moved). Same understated location and decor (even with the update to the interior), but the same outstanding fresh seafood, great prices, and delicious key lime pie. If you go on the weekend, order your key lime pie right away (it goes quick). The halibut is outstanding (blackened or Cajun style is especially good). The specials are always great - especially the fish dishes that they encrust in asiago cheese coating. There used to be a long wait most nights, but the lines have thinned ever since the new mall went up (encircled by overpriced lousy chain restaurants). Unfortunate for The Waterfront, but fortunate for people who still appreciate good food.
(5)